The Founder’s Formula: Each month, Cosmoprof North America profiles founders to learn more about their journeys, why they attend CPNA, and how the show helps their brand grow.
What do you get when you mix a biotech veteran with a love of botanicals and an eye for beauty? The answer: Le Rouge Français. This month, our spotlight is on founders Elodie Carpentier and her husband, Salem Ghezaili, who talked us through how their French beauty brand is taking the world by storm with its all-natural approach.
The Inspiration Behind the Brand:
A biotechnology engineer, Elodie spent over 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry and first turned her attention to beauty while pregnant with her daughter June. “It was necessary to keep an eye on what I was eating, but I also started to pay attention to what I was putting on my skin,” she says.
When she couldn’t find formulas that suited her needs, Elodie tapped her passion for botanicals to look for ways to develop organic and vegan options free of potentially harmful ingredients. Her research led her to plant-based pigmentation.
In 2019, the husband-and-wife team founded Le Rouge Français, specializing in plant-based pigmentation that avoids ingredients titanium dioxide. All of the ingredients are of natural origin, with 84.55% obtained through organic farming.
The company achieved Cosmos Organic BIO certification and vegan certification by PETA. “We are the first makeup company to adopt the regenerative economy model across its entire value chain, from field to finished product,” Elodie says. The packaging is also fully recyclable, sustainable and FSC-certified. The portfolio crosses eyes, lips, face and nails.
The Road to Cosmoprof: Strategies for Success:
When the time came to start expanding in the U.S., the brand chose to exhibit at Cosmoprof North America in Las Vegas. Positioned in Discover Beauty, Elodie connected with key retailers like Neiman Marcus and other premium brands across North and South America.
“Cosmoprof North America is big,” Elodie says, but her location in Discover Beauty positioned her to network with many retailers. “We met with many luxury and premium retailers from North and South America.” They also used the time to connect with international distributors and gain more visibility.
She tapped Cosmoprof’s pre-booking tools and researched retailers and press on LinkedIn to prepare for the July show. In addition to meetings with retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, C.O. Bigelow and Credo, Elodie was interviewed by several news outlets resulting in editorial coverage. “It was a great time to meet with journalists,” she said. The brand also scored a couple of accolades, including a CPNA award in the Clean and Organic category, in partnership with Beautystreams.
The Pay Off: Takeaways from exhibiting included the importance of trade marketing strategies and ideas on how to merchandise in U.S. luxury stores. She also expects several of her retail encounters will result in greater distribution. She plans to return to CPNA Las Vegas in 2025, and is especially looking forward to Beauty New York from USA Beauty, the parent company of Cosmoprof North America, slated for October 2025.
Beauty New York aims to unite consumers, influencers, brands, and retailers for a week of networking and education opportunities. The event will showcase innovations and trends and create an inclusive environment for brand-consumer connections.
Categorized in: Founder Focus